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02
January
2008
Two Cases of Up-Grading Hospital Water Supply Networks
At two European hospitals, the long tradition of health care is meeting modern fluid handling technology. ITT Lowara unit recently updated the water supply systems at a Portuguese and Italian hospital with energy efficient and reliable variable speed pumps and booster systems.
16
August
2007
Aquious Filtration System Helps Pharmaceutical Plant’s Drive Towards Zero Discharge
Reverse osmosis systems from ITT Industries Aquious – Water Equipment Technologies are assisting industrial plants meet increasingly stringent requirements for zero wastewater discharge.
14
August
2007
Continuous Sand Filters Used in Major Saudi Irrigation Project
The Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, north of Dharan, in Saudi Arabia, will be able to recycle 10 mmgd of high quality tertiary water for irrigation purposes, saving approximately 3 billion gallons of precious groundwater every year. Twenty-four DynaSand filters, from Nordic Water Products, were used in this project.
15
May
2007
Emerging international financial centers and markets, in 'International Financial Centres Yearbook 2007/2008'
To many in the business world these are exciting times as there
is a greater assertiveness of certain emerging economies in
stating their rights, needs, wishes and taking a greater hand in
their own development. Some economies seeking to establish
themselves as emerging international financial centres
(EIFCs) have close links and ties to the energy sector. Therefore it
should come as no surprise that some of the EIFCs and markets
coming up on the radar are located in Central Asia and the
Middle East and have huge oil and mineral reserves.
04
January
2007
Environmental solutions for the small scale natural stone producers
This article describes some solutions to the environmental impacts generated by clusters of small producers of ornamental and natural stones in Brazil. This kind of mining clusters, as most small scale mining, carry on their activities without proper technical and economic resources for an efficient and well organized production. The accumulation of individual impacts is expressive, mainly, enormous amounts of stone waste in different sizes and also effluents with big amounts of solids in suspension that end affecting rivers next to the explotaition and manufacturers. The solutions described are not only solutions proposed by the researchers but also creative solutions of the small producers themselves, solutions made possible by their insertion in the APLs supporting policies of the Brazilian government.
TOPIC: environment, job generation, income
04
January
2007
Waste Management to Increase Economical Value in Mining and Metallurgical Activities
It is estimated that Chile would increase its copper production in the next years. However, the cut off grade of its copper ores are lowering, which will result in managing more massive wastes. The reuse or recycling of these wastes residues can be a possible way of solution to this environmental problem.
This article shows alternative propositions for re-utilization of valuable materials contained in massive mining and metallurgical wastes, with an especial attention to final copper slag produced during pyrometallurgical copper processing.
05
October
2006
Micro hydro power plants and other alternative energies: contributions of practical action – ITDG to rural development
Practical Action – ITDG began its activities in Latin America in 1985.
Over the years it has developed a number of appropriate renewable energy technologies for our region, the most outstanding being the Pelton type hydraulic turbines, axial turbines with fixed blades,
river turbines, as well as permanent magnet generators and the use of engines as generators.
Employing these technologies, about 50 micro hydroelectric power plants have been set up, with
an accumulated plant capacity of more than 1.5 MW for the benefit of over 3 thousand families.
Combined financing schemes and innovating management models for these schemes have also been tested.
01
August
2006
New Environmentally Friendly Enzyme Based Solution for Wastewater Remediation
The effluent generated by livestock at agricultural operations all over both North and South America has a significant environmental footprint that flows far downstream from its source. One Hog farm in particular has been using a breakthrough technology referred to as UltraZyme to enhance the biological activity within its waste lagoons in order to discharge a much less toxic waste stream into the environment. UltraZyme has been in use for over a year now at a hog farm owned by Blue Ribbon, near Panama City, Panama, and its results have been closely monitored through lab tests, visual verification and testimonials, proving its great success.
01
August
2006
Development in the Use of Bio-Solids in NW Spain
Presently, the number of waste water treatment plants (WWTP) in the region is going to increase due to the new European environmental policies. Primacy is being given to valuing and reusing all the resulting biosolids for agronomic purposes over eliminating or destructing them. The use of biosolids reduce fertilization costs for farmers, such important sector for the Galician economy. Agroamb is a young Spanish company, located in the Northwest of Spain (Galicia), specialized in the soil application of biosolids, an emergent sector in this region. Agroamb has three projects of investigation in collaboration with the universities of Santiago de Compostela and Vigo, evaluating the use of different biosólidos (sewage sludge, ashes, flours, manures, etc) for elaborating organic fertilizer and its economic and environmental viability.
01
August
2006
Treatment of high-strength winery wastewater
Wine and grape wastewaters are more difficult to treat than other wastewaters from food processing plants. Wineries generate industrial effluents that due to their composition and high organic strength, seasonal variability, acidity and unpleasant odors represent both environmental and esthetic problems in wine producing countries. Thus, there is a strong need for efficient, cost-effective, compact, wastewater treatment systems with minimum operation and maintenance requirements. In response to these demands Water Purification Technologies Inc., a Canadian company, has developed a series of advanced wastewater treatment units with the generic name of Active Biological Contactor (ABC). In this paper, is described the performance of one of those units tested in a well-known winery located in St. Catharines (Niagara Peninsula, Ontario).
08
November
2005
Applications of environmental isotopes in water resources studies in Northern Chile
The use of environmental isotopes is widespread in studies of water resources in Latin America. An optimum use of groundwater resources requires a comprehensive evaluation of the water balance of the aquifer in order to extract water at a rate that will not diminish the groundwater resources. The Environmental Isotope Laboratory (EIL) of the University of Waterloo, Canada, has provided the analytical support for several of these studies.
08
May
2005
Distribution of arsenic pollution in the groundwater of the South West basin of Sebaco Valley - Matagalpa, Nicaragua
One of the environmental problem of interest in Nicaragua is the natural concentration of arsenic in groundwater as is found in the North and South West regions of Nicaragua. These areas are close to mineralized areas and along the most important active tectonic structure, the Nicaragua graben. High concentration of arsenic has been detected in water for human consumption in the South West basin groundwater of the Valle de Sebaco-Matagalpa. This article presents the results of a study on the distribution of arsenic pollution in this area.
07
May
2005
Joint management of water resources: Experiences in Spain.
The joint management of surface water and groundwater resources is a fundamental concept underlying the Spanish Water Act and the European Union’s new policy concerning water use. However, the practical application of this concept is not the same in all EU countries, as the coordinated utilization of various water sources to meet a single demand is not common practice in the north of Europe, where water is relatively abundant, while in some southern countries, including Spain, the gradual introduction of this management technique is being considered. Specifically, in Spain a nationwide study programme has been designed and put in place to examine the coordinated utilization of surface water, groundwater and non-conventional sources of water, found in 27 water exploitation systems. This paper presents an analysis and description of studies carried out in five of these systems.
07
May
2005
Sustainable management of water resources: Development of capabilities and social participation in the Lerma-Chapala basin, Mexico
Se presenta un modelo de 16 ejes de trabajo que implementados de manera conjunta conducen a una gestión sustentable de los recursos hídricos. Los resultados del análisis de contenido muestran que México cuenta con la capacidad teórica para implementar una estrategia para la gestión sustentable de los recursos hídricos. Sin embargo, los resultados de los análisis cualitativos y cuantitativos muestran que las estrategias utilizadas en la implementación del desarrollo de capacidades y la participación social en la cuenca Lerma-Chapala no son eficientes.
07
May
2005
European Water Framework Directive (200/60/CE) Implications
in Groundwater Management
The application of the new European Water Framework Directive (2000/60/CE) implies that criteria of sustainability and water resources protection have to be included in projects of management, characterisation and remediation of groundwater. In order to show ways for adapting projects to European Water Framework Directive requirements, 4 real cases carried out by Enviros-Spain are shown. Specifically, these experiences prove the success of alternative in situ remediation methods to increase the availability of water resources; the applicability of numerical flow models as a tools of management and planning; the use of reactive transport and geochemical models to design the aquifer remediation strategy; and the utilization of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for integrating large punctual data volumes and different spatial environmental information with the purpose of final water management.
11
March
2004
SMEs: Cleaner tourism in the lakes region in Southern Chile (in Spanish)
The program GAR developed by the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for SMEs aims to reduce costs, to minimize environmental impact and optimize organizational structures, it achieves a triple gain for the business.
01
September
2003
Study of water contamination in wells and its spatial expression in Chile's mediterranean secano
Dentro del marco del proyecto CADEPA JICA-INIA, se investigó la calidad del agua de pozos norias, utilizada para consumo humano en el secano mediterráneo de Chile y la espacialización de la contaminación detectada mediante SIG. El universo muestreal fue n=92 para Nitratos y coliformes y n=40 para Metales Pesados, se colectó y analizó las muestras según metodología del centro EULA de la Universidad de Concepción. Las variables analizadas en laboratorio fueron, Coliformes Totales y Fecales, Nitratos y cuatro metales pesados; Cu, Zn, Cd y Ni e insitu se midió, C. Eléctrica, pH y Tº. Los resultados muestran una alta contaminación por coliformes, un 88 % por C.Totales, 78.3 % C. Fecales y un 20.6 % de nitratos sobre la norma Chilena NCh 409/1. Los metales pesados Cu, Zn, y Ni no registran valores sobre norma y Cd no fue detectado por la sensibilidad del equipo. Se analizó dependencia espacial de las variables mediante Índice de Moran, encontrándose dependencia para las variables CE, pH y Tº y sin autocorrelación las demás variables.
01
September
2003
Development of Solid Waste Management in Germany and possible teachings for Participative Waste Management in Santiago de Chile
This article intents to contribute to the recent public discussion going on in the Chilean society about adequate waste management . Waste management improvement is a big challenge for all actors within society, but also (and very importantly) is an opportunity to develop the society, the democratic and participative process as well as the economy. Also it is a medium to fight poverty, marginalization and discrimination. The first part of the article deals with the development of waste management in Germany. The second part of the article offers an overview of the Chilean waste management problems. The article shows that waste management is not only a technological problem, but is above all a social and economic problem.
28
August
2003
Noise control in chiller type air equipment
En este estudio se presenta un caso puntual, en el cual se diseñó e implementó un sistema de control de ruido para dos chiller marca Carrier, modelo 30GX, con sus respectivas bombas de alimentación, más un grupo de extractores de aire; todos ellos instalados en la azotea de un edificio ubicado en el centro de Santiago. En base mediciones acústicas realizadas en el punto más afectado por el ruido de los chiller (vecinos), se pudo determinar una reducción necesaria de 5dBA. La solución que se diseñó para los chiller consta de una barrera acústica y un encierro acústico especialmente diseñados. Como resultado se logró una reducción de 6,5 dBA logrando cumplir con el límite máximo exigido en el instrumento regulatorio D.S.Nº146/97 para ruidos molestos generados por fuentes fijas.
23
July
2003
Canada' s Wetland Industry
About 15% of Canada is covered by wetlands. This estimate could probably double if we included wetlands situated along the freshwater and marine coastlines and those lost through conversion to other land uses in the past. Most Canadians encounter and come in contact, either directly or indirectly, with wetlands on a daily basis. This interdependence between our wetlands and Canadian society has led to opportunity for business and economic development.
06
June
2003
The control of Total Reduced Sulfur ("TRS") in Kraft Pulp mills.
The odor and health problems associated with sulfide emissions form Kraft pulp mills can be controlled by the use of alkaline scrubbers. While alternative technologies do exist, the use of scrubbers has been shown to be a very competitive technology for the solution of the problem. This paper will provide a brief explanation of their functioning and advantages.
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